Berghaus "Everyday Outdoors" Jackets feedback thread - now with final feedback questions

[AnnMumsnet]

Dear Berghaus tester

Many thanks for taking part in the Berghaus product test.

We'd be grateful if you could add feedback at least a couple of times over the next month or so - for now, your first impressions and then after a month or so we'll post some more detailed questions.

Everyone who is part of the test and who adds feedback here will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will win £150 of Berghaus products.

So, generally speaking, what are your first impressions? Was it as expected? Anything you particularly liked or disliked? How is the colour/ size etc? (any major problems which mean you want to exchange it, please do let us know)

You are more than welcome to add other comments/ feedback to this thread over the next month.

In your response please state which jacket you are testing.

Many thanks

MNHQ

I'm thinking of buying the akka after reading the reviews on here. Do you think its worth the money?

sailorsgal...yes I do. Simples

I do, too. But try it on if you can. I fit the sizing for a size 10 on the website pretty much perfectly and yet mine is too large. If you can't try it on, then measure yourself, look at the website sizing and go for the size down. But yes. It is worth the money. My previous coat cost £120 in French Connection about four years ago and it is tons heavier and nowhere near as warm or waterproof. It is a great coat.

I agree worth it and regarding sizing I only went for the larger one on account of cup size but would have been just fine with the smaller size, sizing is definitely on the generous side

If I'd got my usual size, instead of relying on website measurements, I think it would have been fine. So that might be the strategy to take for anyone thinking of buying an Akka who can't try one on. Kicking myself!

It is so lovely, though. I am really grateful despite the size thing. It is toasty toasty warm, totally waterproof (you can actually see the drops of rain rolling off it) and as light as a feather. I think you could actually wear it in bed (if in, say, heavily subzero temps due to extreme weather conditions in bedroom) and be totally comfortable.

i don't think i can repeat this enough but i can't believe how warm the akka is. it is freezing here and i was toasty on teh school run. i am cycling into town and will not wear it as i will probably be too warm!

It is lovely, isn't it? Walked to work this morning with my breath all misty, and horrible freezing fog everywhere and was completely warm. Fantastic coat.

Thanks guys, will be ordering one today!

I'm finding the double zip thing a bit fiddly too - takes a few goes to actually zip up sometimes. Only negative so far.

And yes....so chilly outside at the mo and I was snug as a bug. Still amazed at how warm it is for something so light.

Only other potential thing I was wondering about was the colour being Bay and on the lighter (colour-wise) side - just wondering whether it'll end up look a bit mucky on the sleeves or by knees with getting kids in and out of car or being smeared with chocolate. But I notice it is washable. Be interesting to see how well the down insulation fairs with being washed.

I did manage to successfully squish my akka into my shopping bag today when i got too warm walking. And it came out an hour later looking good as new.

right, i am shortly leaving the house for the first time since the coat arrived . the rain falls hard on this humdrum town, so the jacket will get a proper test. will report back later.

it is freezing and windy here today. i wore the akka on my bike ride into town. it was v. comfie, the double zip facilitates the leg action. kept the wind off. sadly it didn't actualy cycle the bike for me which was hard work in teh wind. so yes passes the bike test, but only on v. cold days or else i would pass out from heat exhaustion

Cerealoffender, the parka is a bit warm for cycling too! Wore it today to do the pre-school run with the bike, trailer and two children. Cold and windy here as well, was sweating glowing nicely by the time we got there. I took the hood off to cycle as I was worried about being attacked by the dead badger the hood blowing around and getting in the way.

Handled yesterday's thick frost well too, was -1 here in the morning and I was plenty warm enough walking to various place, even with just a 3/4 sleeved t-shirt underneath. Although I do walk quickly!

Couple of annoyances: the lining of the sleeves is very slightly too long, so you get a bit if the inner dangling out below the cuff, iyswim; and when the front zip is done up all the way the collar is quite stiff/rough on my chin - some coats have a soft lining on that part to stop the 'chafe' for want of a better word. Some of the fabric that the pockets are lined with would be nice on the inside. But I do like the fact that the collar is quite high to keep the wind out.

ok, back from town. the richmond was very warm and totally waterproof. hood stayed in position really well. great stuff.

Got a size 14 Richmond in pale stone today (kindly exchanged by Berghaus). It's a much better fit, looks better all round (look less like an overgrown schoolgirl!) and I am delighted.

Would agree with Madamefreckle that it would be good to have the belt an inch lower. Other than that it's good. If you're tall, and on the borderline between two sizes, would recommend going up a size with this design.

The palestone colour is nice - makes it look more like a classic trench.

Will try it out in the brass monkey weather tomorrow

I am getting annoyed with the double zip now, it takes ages to get it to do up, especially if you are in a hurry! However on the other hand the double zip is good for cycling.

I have had a few admiring comments from other mums at the school gates, including ones who I would consider reasonably fashionable. Also from 2 mums who live on farms/smallholdings on the top of mountains, who were admiring its warmth (in fact one actually tried it on and then refused to take it off!).

It was very wet and windy this morning and so I had to wear the hood up. It stayed up well in the wind, however I felt a bit anorak like wearing it up. Not sure it looked that bad, it just felt it IYSWIM.

Football practice this evening was freezing however I was toasty warm

My Akka long down coat arrived yesterday. First impressions:

1. Can pack small (big plus for warm coat)
2. Very light
3. Slightly bigger than I would have expected.

On point 3 - whilst unsure yesterday, I have today decided that that is, indeed, a good thing, as, if I were to spend the whole day outdoors in freezing temperatures, an additional fleece would be ideal. You wouldn't want to make the coat itself thicker / heavier, as that would remove benefits 1 and 2.

I agree with some previous posters though - if you wanted to improve one thing, the option of internal toggles to tighten the "belt" part might be good, as it would then be up to the individual user to either wear a loose or slightly more fitted coat.

I forgot it's water resistant, so have used an umbrella in the drizzle today. Will give it a try without one when out again.

All in all, my first impressions are very good. It's comfortable and doesn't feel bulky at all. also own a North Face Arctic parka, which is wonderfully warm and waterproof, but very bulky and heavy - if budget allows, I would recommend both together, covers different angles.

I like the internal pockets, very much like the way the velcro around the sleeves are done, and like the lack of weight. Good length.

Am still to test the waterproof (well, resistance) -ness. I'm considering options for ski wear next year, so appreciate this opportunity to test out the product and size / fit.

Wore the coat out today, with only a long sleeved t-shirt underneath. Nice & warm, especially with the long funnel neck zipped up.

I also note it is supposed to be machine washable and tumble-dry-able. Which MNer is going to be brave enough to try that test? I suppose the one who gets babysick down them first.

Anyway, a favourable first impression. Bring on the snow!

Well I bit the bullet and bought one. It was on £112 on amazon. Bargain.

Tried my Akka coat in the drizzle today - perfect! You'll need a fleece under it in the really cold & snowy weather, but I love how you can keep it on on the (overland) train without dying of heat exhaustion, yet it's warm enough to wear over a suit on the way from the office to the station.

Berghaus have asked us to pass on the following to you all;

"We?re really pleased to see such a positive response to the product test. A huge amount of time has gone into researching and developing these products, so we?re delighted that initial impressions are so positive!"
"We have noted some comments about the sizing of the products and are taking all feedback on board. We will ensure that our product development team is made aware of every comment, good or bad, received as part of this Mumsnet product test. We really do want to understand what we?re doing right with the range, and what we need to change or improve, so all feedback is valuable to us."

MNHQ

I have been wearing mine every day for the last week and I find it to be an excellent coat over all. I'm testing the Richmond, Java in size 14.

When it arrived and the courier gave me the bag containing the coat I thought that's either the wrong coat OR it's definitely not going to keep me warm...... how wrong was I!!!!

It's superbly warm, so much so that I can wear an ordinary 3/4 sleeve t-shirt under it on the school run and not feel a thing in close to freezing temperatures . Rain rolls right off it, fantastic!

Sizing wise, well I plumped for the size 14 and I'm glad I did as the sizing chart on Berghaus website would have made me out to be a 16 which would have swamped me. The only drawback to this coat is the sleeve length, they're too long! This wouldn't be so bad if you could tighten the cuffs but mine has only two poppers and that doesn't allow for much tightening. I'm 5ft 4 in case anyone wonders and I don't usually buy 'petite' sized items of clothing.

Overall I LOVE IT! When this coat wears out or I get too small for it (as I'm dieting) I will definitely invest in another of these. The price would have put me off originally but I can now see why they are pricier and in my opinion they are worth the extra money.

Lagrandissima I also had to exchange my Richmond jacket for a size 14.
Many thanks to Berghaus for swiftly despatching me a replacement.
However as I suspected it now fits properly across the bust but feels large elsewhere especially at the back.
Tbh I don't necessarily feel that this is a design fault as such but more a case of the average woman not fitting into a specific dress size for coats.
I am actually a size 10 in trousers/skirts etc but having a larger bust I tend to wear a size 12 for jackets.
But back to the actual jacket which I have now 'properly' road tested.
All my initial thoughts regarding the classic style of the jacket still apply, so much so that I feel that I'm doing it a disservice by wearing it out with jeans and trainers for the school run!
It is definately a 'grown-up' coat for me as I usually wear a TNF nuptse this time of year.
It hasn't been as cold here this week but v wet and I was delighted to see the rain roll off the jacket and not have a soggy garment to have to dry out.
The hood(and I'm not a hood person)was comfortable and is actually a v welcome addition when you're dealing with dcs,book-bags and holding hands!
All in all a great jacket but as I mentioned my own body shape has made sizing difficult.
One quick Q I have re:washing is whether the jacket needs nikwash despite not being down filled?

aseriouslyblondemoment - glad you're all sorted. I'll ask them re your wash query.

Many thanks Ann